Big Second Period Lifts Canisus Past Sacred Heart, 5-1

Buffalo, NY -
Jason Weeks scored three goals in the second period and Corey Conacher added a goal and two assists as Canisius used a four goal second period to post a 5-1 victory over Sacred Heart in Atlantic Hockey action Saturday night at the Buffalo State Ice Arena. Junior Mike Rosata (Needham, NH) scored the Pioneers only goal.

The Golden Griffs dominated the game from the start, out-shooting SHU 37-25 for the game. Conacher got Canisius started early, scoring just 1:07 into the game. Vincent Scarsella won an offensive zone face-off back to Conacher who one-timed the puck past Stefan Drew (Oakbank, MB) for his eighth goal of the year.

After Drew kept the Pioneers in the game with some excellent goaltending in the first period, Canisius scored four goals in the first four minutes of the second period. Weeks got things rolling with a shorthanded goal at the 1:57 mark, pounding home a loose puck in front of the Pioneer goal. Derek Zanowski made it 3-0 twenty-eight seconds later, converting a feed from Weeks.

Weeks scored his second goal at the 2:25 mark blasting a shot past Drew from the right face-off circle. Weeks completed the hat trick at the 9:22 mark, rifling a one-timer slap-shot off a feed from Scarsella from the left side.

The lone bright spot for the Pioneers came with 8:58 left in the third period. Rosata picked up a loose puck in the corner and snapped a shot on goal that beat Dan Morrison to put SHU on the board. Junior Erik Boisvert (Drummondville, QC) had the assist on Rosata's first collegiate goal.

Morrison made 24 saves for the Griffs to earn the victory. Drew stopped 32 shots in the losing effort. Canisius was 1-for-8 on the power-play while the Pioneers did not score in four chances with the man advantage.

Sacred Heart returns to upstate New York next week as they travel to Rochester for a two game series with RIT. The series opens Friday night at 7:05 pm at Ritter Arena.